Headlight.



H. G. McCOMB.

HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FllED AUG.30. I917.

Patented Feb. 5, 191 8 WNW.-

EZENRY G. 'JllIcCOMB, 01E HER/V YORK, N. Y.

HEADLIGHT.

Specification of Letters llatent.

Patented. not). a, was.

application filed August 30, 1917. fierial No. 3.899%.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY G. McGoMe, a citizen of the United States and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county and State of New Yorln have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Headlights, oii which the following is a specification a My invention relates to headlights for automobiles and more particularly to a headlight capable of tilting vertically in order that the glare of the light will not ,be thrown in the face of one traveling in the opposite direction to that of the car on which the headlight is carried while at the same time the full volume of the light is kept on the road in order that the eyes of the driver will. not be affected by any change in brilliancy of the illumination.

The danger from the blinding glare of a powerful headlight on the driver of an approaching car is well understood and many States and municipalities haveypassed laws prohibiting the use of headlights unless they are equipped with lenses which will break up the direct glare of the reflected light. 1

Most cars at the present time are equipped with attachments by means of which the driver may dim. his lights when approaching another car traveling in the opposite direction. This practice is fraught with as much danger as when the dimmer is not used for v the reason that while the driver has dimmed his light to make it possible for the approaching driver to see clearly he has so diminished his own light that before his eyes become accustomed to the change a. serious accident may occur.

lhe object of my invention is to produce a dirigible headlight operable at the will of the driver and by means of which the axis of the beam may bc-lowcred so that the zone of intense illumination willqbe below the eyes of an approaching driver but the road way in the vicinity of the car will be as brilliantly lighted as before.

Another object is the production of such a headlight in which the parts may be positively locked in either position.

A further object" is to produce a dirigible headlight which may be operated with the I expenditure of the minimum of energy on the part oi the driver whereby he may have complete control of his car at all times.

l have illustrated one embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings the line 2-42. of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the operating mechanism, and

F ig. at is a diagrammatic view showing the Wiring.

In carrying out my invention I provide a. casing 1 which may be of any desired construction and which may be carried on an automobile in any known manner. The front of the casing is covered by a glass 2 to prevent the entrance of dirt and moisture.

Within the casing is disposed the usual parabolic reflector 3 which carries a source of illumination, which in the present embodiment of the invention is an electric bulb 4. The wiring for the bulb may be let into the casing through a nipple 5.

Surrounding the front or open end of the reflector is an annulus (5 which on diametrically opposite sides has trunnions 7, 7 which engage bearings 8, 8 carried by the casing 1. T he t-runnions and bearings are disposed horizontally relatively to the car so that the reflector may be rocked to raise and lower its focal. axis so that the beam of light may be directed ahead horizontally or be caused to strike the roadway close to the front of the car.

The mechanism for moving the reflector consists of a solenoid 9 supported on the inside of the casing 1 and having its core 10 connected to the ring or annulus 6 at. a point perpendicular to the axis of the trunnions 7, 7 so that when the solenoid is energized the core will be attracted and the reflector rocks to direct the beam of light down ward.

Thesolenoid 9 is 'of ordinary construction. The core. is provided with a reduced portion which is surrounded by a non-mag netic sleeve 11. A. stop 12 is carried by the core to limit the moveinent of the core when the solenoid is dcenergized. The end of the core carries 'a ball 13 over which is turned one end of a tube -1'-l. A similar ball 15 is movably carried in the opposite end of the tube. A follower 16 engages each ball and a compression spring 17 between the fol,-

lowers keeps the balls 13 and 15 pressed outward against the turned over ends of the tube. The shank 18 of the ball 15 is screwthreaded and extends through a perforation in a lip 19 carried bythe ring or annulus 6. A nut 20 engages the shank 18 and provides for adjustment of the connecting rod composed of the balls 13 and 15 and tube 14.

The end of the core opposite the stop 12 is provided with a head 21 and a flange 22 surrounds the core a short distance from the head.

Arranged at right angles to the solenoid 9 and hear one end thereof is a locking sclenoid 23 the core 24 of which is provided with a head 25 having its diameter nearly equal to the distance between the head 21 and collar 22. The inner end of the core 24 is reduced in diameter and a coil spring 26 bears against the core and a head on the solenoid whereby the attraction of the core will be against the compression of the spring.

An iron strap 27 of suflicient thickness and a width'approximately equal to the diameter of the solenoids is bent or stamped to shape to inclose four sides of each solenoid so that iron-clad solenoids are produced. A

'foot 28 is formed on the strap and'said foot is provided with threaded perforations whereby the strap carrying the solenoids may be secured to the inside of the casing.

s shown in Fig. 4 the solenoids are.in series with a source of current 29 therebeing a switch 30 in the line. A shunt 31 is arranged across the line andhas a switch 32 therein. If desired a resistance 33 equal to the resistance of the solenoid 9 may be inserted in the shunt.

Normallythe device is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. Both solenoids are denergized and the core 10 will be in position with the stop 12 resting against the casing 27. The spring 260i the locking sole noid will cause the head 25 of the core 24 to engage the core 10 behind the flange 22. The core 10 will, therefore be positively locked against movement in either direction and the reflector will'be in position to direct the beam of light horizontally.

Upon approaching another car traveling in th opposite diret-lion the driver will close the switch 30. The current will flow from the source 29 through both solenoids 23 and 9. The core 24 will be attracted against, the compression of the spring 26. This will result in'the unlocking'of the core 10 which will be sucked into the solenoid 9 and swing the upper edge of the reflector downward. The driver will now open the switch 30. Both solenoids will be dciinergized, the spring 26 will cause the head of the core 24 to engage between the head 21 and flange 22 of the corelO, as shown in Fig. 3, and lock thereflector inits tilted position.

- When it is desired to bring the reflector The switches 30 and 32 may be push buttons and. may be located in a posltion convenient for the driver. They may even be placed on the steering wheel so that the car will be completely under control while assing another vehicle. This feature is 0 importance as when the reflector is deflected by a manual 0 eration the driver must remove his hand mm the wheel at the time he sholuld have his machine under perfect contro If desired a spring, such as shown at 34 in Fig. 4 may be employed to return the parts of the device to the normal position.

The construction of the connecting rod bctween the core 10 and the annulus 6 will hold the parts under tension and prevent rattling.

While I have shown and described my invention as applied to an automobile headlight I desire to have it understood that the device may be employed in other situations the moving parts are inclosed within the casing. There are no projecting handles, levers or shafts. Each headlight is complete in itself and a breakdown in one will not affect another.

The core 24 of the solenoid 23 is, in effect, a spring bolt which is withdrawn from' engagement with its co-acting parts by the passage of an electric current around it.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I'have described the principle of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and'that the invention may be carried out in other ways.

gized the focal axis of the'latter will be varied, a spring belt for locking the core in either of its extreme positions, and a \iiiagnetic coil-for withdrawing the bolt.

2. A headlight having a casing, a pivoted reflector, a source of light in fixed relation to the casing, a solenoid, a connection between the core of the solenoid and the reflector, whereby when the former is energized the focal axis of. the latterwill be varied, a spring bolt for locking the core in either of its extreme positions, a magnetic coil for withdrawing the bolt, all of the moving parts being inclosed within the casing, and means located outside of the casing for controlling the operation of the magnetic devices.

3. A headlight having a casing, a pivoted reflector, a source of light in fixed relation to the reflector, a solenoid, a spring cushioned connecting rod joining one end of the 'core of the solenoid and the reflector, spaced solenoid, whereby the core of the second solenoid will engage the enlargements to lock the first mentioned core in position, a strap surrounding the solenoids and securing them in position, said strap being secured to the inside of the casing, and manually operated means for controlling the energization of the solenoids, said control being located at a distance from the headlight.

This specification signed and witnessed this twenty-third day of August, 1917.

HENRY G. MGCOMB.

Witnesses:

D. E. WOLFE,

ELLEN F. Lone. 

